Tweet the tweeties in your garden with plants that attract birds like salvia, echinacea, etc.
Birds add color, movement and music to our gardens and we can attract them by including shrubs and trees in our landscape for shelter, and by planting perennials that provide them with a source of food.
Read More About Plants that Attract Birds
In order to attract a wide variety of birds to your garden, include perennials of varying heights such as the low-growing heuchera and the tall solidago as well as perennials that flower at different times during the growing season such as coneflowers (echinacea, rudbeckia) in summer and aster in fall. Remember to deadhead your perennials to promote continuous flowering which will keep birds coming to your garden during the growing season.
Hummingbirds are attracted to plants with tubular shaped flowers that offer sweet nectar such as hosta, lantana and salvia Many birds prefer to feast on seeds and berries, so as the summer comes to a close, allow the remaining blooms on your perennials to form seed.
You can find perennials of every color and for every zone that provide food sources for the birds in your area. If you want your feathered friends to enjoy being in your garden as much as you do, check out our large online offering of attractive bird-friendly perennials.
When you are ready to buy plants that attract birds for your garden, check out our online list of plants that attract birds for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Nurseries - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
In our winter hardiness trials, Abutilon 'Bartley Schwarz' (named after the late California plantsman, although incorrectly spelled "Schwartz") has been one of our best performers. The slightly pendent branching habit of this Abutilon megapotamicum hybrid makes a 4' tall x 4' wide clump clothed with small, fuzzy green serrated leaves and adorned from early summer through fall with 1.5" wide, salmon-orange (RHS 24B) bell-shaped flowers that dangle from the outstretched woody branches. As a houseplant, this mallow relative is everblooming (should be the same in an apartment)...just watch out for hummingbird droppings. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Abutilon 'Canary Bird' is a marvelous hummingbird plant that has survived 6 degrees F in our garden. This hibiscus relative has maple-like foliage on a compact 6' tall x 3' wide plant. For us, Abutilon 'Canary Bird' starts flowering in early summer with large, dangling, 3" wide, canary yellow, bell-like flowers and continues until the first frost. For those in more northerly zones, Abutilon 'Canary Bird' makes a great centerpiece for a container planting. Good winter drainage is key for maximum cold tolerance in the ground. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Abutilon 'Fool's Gold' is an upright abutilon, clothed with 2" wide, fuzzy green leaves and adorned from early summer until fall with 2.5" wide, hanging, orange (RHS 24B) lantern-like flowers, each highlighted with dark orange veins...a hummingbird delight. This 4' tall x 2.5' wide flowering maple has proven to be reliable in our climate since 2004, but is also a great summer container specimen plant. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Abutilon megapotamicum is a fun and easy-to-grow Brazilian native that makes a great hummingbird magnet for the perennial border, spreading to several feet wide in a single season. If you're into container gardening, a flowering maple also makes a great hanging basket plant. In the wild, Abutilon megapotamicum reaches 8' tall, but in temperate climate cultivation, it rarely exceeds 5' tall. From late summer until frost, the plants are laden with very cool 2" hanging red lanterns, carefully placed between the thumb-sized green leaves. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This vigorous hummingbird favorite makes a 5' tall x 5' wide upright mass of woody stems adorned with fuzzy, dark green leaves. During the summer, the outermost branches are laden with dangling parchment-yellow flowers, each highlighted by a dark red calyx. This has been a superb performer in our winter hardiness trials. Although we list this as a selection of Abutilon megapotamicum, its vigor and leaf shape suggest its baby-daddy is instead a close relative. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
I longed for an abutilon with pastel flowers and plantsman Luen Miller of Monterrey Bay Nursery came to the rescue with this fabulous selection of Abutilon megapotamicum. The 3' tall x 4' wide clump of Abutilon 'Pink Charm' is adorned from early summer until fall with small pink dangling bells that line the stem...simply charming for both the gardener as well as nearby hummingbirds. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Thanks to Luen Miller of Monterrey Bay Nursery for sharing his splendid 2005 introduction...a hybrid of Abutilon megapotamicum. The 3-4' tall mass of stems is adorned with pointed green leaves and, from early June until fall, with hundreds of dangling bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are clear orange, highlighted by red bloodshot eye-like veins. Each flower is held tight by a dark burgundy calyx (the thing the flower sits in). Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava' has been a standout in both our summer flowering and winter hardiness trials. Nine out of 10 hummingbirds agree, Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava' is a top choice! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This Jon Dixon hybrid has been an amazing performer in our garden trials. Not only did Abutilon 'Voodoo' continue flowering into the upper 20s, but it kept green stems and leaves down to 20 degrees F. Abutilon 'Voodoo' makes an upright 6' tall x 3' wide clump, adorned, starting in late summer and continuing into late fall, with large 2", blood red, bell-shaped flowers dangling from the top half of the plant. This hummingbird favorite is one of the best performers of the large-flowered, upright flowering maples we have ever grown. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Anthea yarrow is a 1993 introduction...a discovery by the late Alan Bloom of England, who found it growing in a patch of Achillea 'Moonshine'. Achillea 'Anblo', marketed under the equally strange name 'Anthea', is a noticeable improvement over most of the yarrows we have tried...it actually survives here without trying to take over the garden. The basal rosette of cutleaf silvery foliage is topped in late spring with very erect 30" stalks, holding nice flower clusters of light butter yellow. This is a great addition to the softer colored parts of the border. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We've tried many yarrows through the years and most have struggled through our hot humid summers, with the exception of Achillea 'Strawberry Seduction'. This Achillea millefolium hybrid (possibly with Achillea clypeolata) was selected in 2001 by Holland's Michiel Zwaan, who bred it from the Achillea Summer Pastels seed series. Achillea 'Strawberry Seduction' is a long-flowering selection that begins flowering in June with strong 2' tall well-branched stems, topped with clusters of colorfast red flowers, highlighted with small yellow centers. I've experienced strawberry reductions before, but admit that I find the imagery of a strawberry seduction...berry interesting. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Not to be confused with the alien fighters of a similar name, Agapanthus 'Back in Black' is a new Lily-of-the-Nile from Holland's Piet Zonneveld. In late summer this 2005 introduction produces dark green flower scapes from the strap-like green foliage which age to black. The 2' tall flower scapes are topped with flower heads of very dark blue-purple flowers...quite striking and a favorite of hummingbirds. This is patented as an Agapanthus africanus selection, but being an open pollinated seedling, this species assignment is highly suspect. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Agapanthus 'Bressingham Blue' is a 1972 introduction selected by the late plantsman Alan Bloom of the UK's Bressingham Gardens. Agapanthus 'Bressingham Blue' is a seedling selection from thousands of plants of the famous Headbourne hybrids. The clump of narrow, green, winter-deciduous leaves is topped, starting in late June (NC), with 30" stalks ending in 4.5" round flower heads of dark blue-violet flowers. Agapanthus 'Bressingham Blue' has been a vigorous, outstanding cultivar in our trials. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(Patent 7303 expired) From California's Archie Amate comes this 1990 introduction, a phenomenally vigorous evergreen (in mild climates) Lily-of-the-Nile that makes a fast-growing 3' tall clump of green strap-like leaves, topped in midsummer with hummingbird-attracting dark blue-violet (RHS 93A), 8" wide flower heads on 50" tall stems. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(Patent 7297 expired) Agapanthus 'Ellamae'...now there's a plant with a good southern name! From California's Archie Amate comes this 1990 introduction, a monstrous and vigorous lily-of-the-Nile that makes a large clump of green strap-like leaves, topped in midsummer with dark blue-violet umbels of flowers on Jack and the Beanstalk-like 66" tall stems...butterflies not included. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This fully deciduous South African agapanthus species can be found in open meadows in the Drakensberg and surrounding mountain ranges. The clumps of strap-like green leaves are topped in July with 2' tall spikes of dark purple-black pendulous flowers in July...a very nice lily-of-the-Nile selection that is also a favorite hummingbird flower. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Agapanthus 'Stevie's Wonder' is an introduction from California's Emerissa Gardens that I picked up on a West Coast swing many years ago...as much for the name as anything else. Over the years, this has been the star in our agapanthus trials, both for winter hardiness, deer-resistance, and outstanding flowering. The 2.5' to 3' tall (over 6' tall in the Pacific Northwest) spikes are topped with 4" ball-shaped heads composed of rich blue-violet, hummingbird-attracting flowers. I think you will find Agapanthus 'Stevie's Wonder' a superb garden-worthy clone, sure to be the sunshine of your life. We'll get yours on the way...signed, sealed, delivered. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Thanks to Barrie Coate for setting us straight on the origin of this great agapanthus. When Barrie was director of the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation, he selected this gem from thousands of open pollinated seedlings of the deciduous Agapanthus 'Mood Indigo'. The resulting evergreen selection (only to 28 degrees F) is a dynamite lily-of-the-Nile with the typical strap-like foliage to 24" tall. Through late summer, the huge clumps of Agapanthus 'Storm Cloud' foliage are topped with giant, magnificent, hummingbird-friendly flower heads of bluish-purple on very sturdy stalks to 4' tall...WOW! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
From Kees de Jong of Holland comes an amazing agapanthus that appeared in his cut flower field of blue Agapanthus africanus. The deciduous (evergreen in mild climates), 1.5" wide green foliage makes a 2' wide clump, topped in midsummer with 30" stalks of huge 10" flower heads of up to 80 pure white flowers...a hummingbird favorite. It took Barry Bonds years of steroid use to get a head this large...Agapanthus 'White Heaven' has consistently tested clean. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
When my friend Gert Fortgens of Arboretum Trompenburg in Holland told me about his cross of the North American native Agastache foeniculum with the Korean Agastache rugosa, the offspring sounded too good to be true. However, after trialing Agastache 'Blue Fortune' in our dry garden, I consider it one of the finest new perennials in years! In spring, the strong new stalks shoot upward to 3' tall, clothed with fuzzy, licorice-scented fragrant leaves. From early spring through summer, the stems are topped with hundreds of large bottlebrush, blue-lavender flowers that attract a stunning array of pollinators, including hummingbirds! Agastache 'Blue Fortune' needs an open, well-drained site for best performance. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This Terra Nova introduction is one of the first of the brightly-colored agastache hybrids to survive our NC summers. Agastache 'Cotton Candy' forms a 2' tall x 3' wide drought-tolerant clump of upright green stems, each clothed in small, but very minty-fragranced leaves. From spring through fall, the stems are topped with dense clusters of small pink flowers emerging from the dark pink-tipped calyces. Agastache 'Cotton Candy' is a magnet for attracting both butterflies and hummingbirds...we recommend a flight control tower within a 100' radius. Good drainage is essential for long-term survivability. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
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.jpg "Abutilon x hybridum 'Voodoo' (Voodoo Flowering Maple)")
.jpg "Agapanthus 'Ellamae' (Ellamae Lily-of-the-Nile)")
